NBA has sent a memo to all 30 teams regarding Damian Lillard’s trade request away from the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard has specifically expressed his interest in being traded to the Miami Heat. The NBA’s memo warned that any further comments from Lillard or his agent, Aaron Goodwin, could result in disciplinary action from the league. The memo also stated that similar behavior from other players in the future may also be met with discipline.
The full memo, as reported by Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, addressed recent media reports of Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, reaching out to multiple NBA teams to discourage them from trading for Lillard, claiming that Lillard would not fully perform if traded to another team. The memo clarified that Goodwin denied making such statements and that Lillard affirmed his commitment to fulfilling his player contract in any trade scenario. However, any future comments suggesting otherwise could result in disciplinary action for Lillard. The NBA also informed the Players Association that similar comments by players or their agents would face discipline in the future.
Despite Lillard’s trade request being made nearly a month ago, there has been no imminent deal. The Portland Trail Blazers maintain control over the situation as Lillard is under contract for three more years, with a player option, and does not have a no-trade clause. Therefore, the Blazers have the flexibility to trade Lillard to any team, not solely the Miami Heat.
However, considering Lillard’s significant impact on the team over the past decade-plus, the Blazers may have a desire to accommodate his wishes. Nevertheless, the Miami Heat might not offer the most favorable trade package for Lillard, and in such a situation, Lillard may need to be willing to compromise.
The outcome of this situation remains uncertain. In the meantime, the NBA has made it clear that it wants no further discussions from Lillard or his agent about his desire to join the Miami Heat.
